Saying Good-Bye to Lena

Lena is a wonderful intern that Gary and Jo Ann were in charge of during their mission. Lena is an amazing girl who left Russia 7 years ago to get an education. She speaks 5 languages fluently and is trying to get to Canada for her Doctorate Degree. She is being forced back to Russia for a Canadian Student Visa. She is deathly afraid that she will be stuck there for the rest of her life. In her town a woman can either be a housewife or a prostitute. She doesn’t want to be either there. She has had very bad experiences with Russian men and refuses to marry one. Oh and we found out cowboys are on that list too. We told her she better be careful what she says because I never thought I wanted to marry a religious guy and then look what happened. If she keeps saying this she is going to end up with a Russian Cowboy. She really didn’t want that at all!

This was our farewell for her at Troy and Daph’s.

   

With a group this size we had to do a crazy face picture.

Jo Ann and I wrote her letters about our thoughts and testimony. In her village she is the only member and is looked upon VERY badly for being so. So we thought a letter of our testimony of what we believe might be what she needs to get her through.

This was my letter to her-

Dearest Lena,

I just want to start off by telling you how sorry I am that you are having to return to Russia. We will truly miss you, your wonderful smile and optimistic disposition. I remember many years ago our district president told us it was time to leave Korea and return home to the States. I cannot tell you how upset I was that he would want us to leave our very perfect life. We had plenty of money, travelled every 3 months, had our own little apartment, and only worked about 20 hours a week and managed to make $80,000 in one year-why would we ever want to leave??? The Mission President said to me “In a perfect life there is no spiritual growth”-seriously that was the stupidest thing I had ever heard! Isn’t the ultimate goal to be happy??? Then I was upset at Heavenly Father for making me do something I really didn’t want to do. At that time there were many school shootings in America. I just couldn’t imagine going to such a dangerous country (no one in Korea even owned guns). Jared and I talked about it and I reluctantly decided to pray about leaving. It was extremely difficult for me to get to my knees because I truly just wanted to stay. When I finally did pray, my anger was softened and I knew it was time.

When we first arrived we had to struggle to find jobs, go back to school, and find a place to live. It may not sound like much, but it was a struggle for me since I had had it all just days before. As I look back at all the things we have been through, I realize how the timing was extremely important. Jared graduated just at the perfect time to get this job that he has in Provo now. I never wanted to live in Utah, but it has been the best thing for our family. Our children have been able to grow up slowly with little of the world’s influence. If we had stayed we probably wouldn’t have had kids when we did. We waited 4 ½ years to have Paris. I realize now that it could have been a couple years later if we hadn’t moved back because my goal was to graduate from college before I ever had children. She was born 6 months after my graduation. The reason I bring her up is because she and her cousin Aubree who are just a month and a half apart are the very best friends anyone could be. It would have been such a detriment to them both if one was not there. They are eternal soul friends. I loved our life in Korea and I am grateful I had the opportunity to live it, but I would never trade it for what I have now. We have a beautiful home with wonderful neighbors, family nearby, surrounded by a gorgeous peaceful setting. In the end it came down to having faith in My Heavenly Father to know what really was best for me even though I couldn’t see past my anger for a time, and past the new struggles I had to endure to get to what he actually had planned for me.

Recently I have been studying The Old Testament and Joseph’s story of being hated by his brothers so much that they wanted to kill him, being sold into slavery in a far away foreign land, and then being thrown into jail for three years for being a good righteous person really touched my heart. I think it is my new foundation for dealing with my recent trials. I admire him so much for never losing faith in the Lord. He was always a good person regardless of his circumstances. It was 20 years before he saw his family again-that is a very long time!!! In the end he could see that all of this had to be, all the bad along with the good. All the things he couldn’t understand at the time, at one point came to light. The Israelites wouldn’t have had a safe place to grow spiritually and in numbers for 430 years if it wasn’t for all the terrible things that happen to Joseph. If he had just been a shepherd at home, not only would the 12 tribes have perished but probably most of Egypt.

As I said earlier, in the end it comes down to FAITH in the Lord. He knows what is best for you even if you don’t. It is hard to see past our disappointments of today to see what wonderful prospects will come tomorrow, but it isn’t hard for The Lord to see it! Never lose faith in The Father that wants the very best for you!!!

We love you dearly Lena! You will always be in our prayers and in our hearts!!

All Our Love-Always

Lissette, Jared, Paris, Tristan and Esher